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Tomatoes: History, Origin, Facts… or fiction!?
by: Kirk Gordon
What is a tomato? You probably think it’s a vegetable, right? As do most people. However, tomatoes are in fact not a vegetable, but rather, a fruit. In 1883 the United States Congress passed a tariff act requiring a 10% tax on imported vegetables; a response to the growing international trade at time.
A tomato importer, John Nix, decided to challenge the law after scrutinizing the Tariff Act. His case relied on the fact that tomatoes were a fruit and not vegetable, therefore, it should not be subjected to the Tariff Act. Nix’s objections brought the case to the Supreme Court in 1893. Although Nix had a solid case, the Supreme Court rejected the botanical facts and continued to refer to tomatoes as a vegetable.
Plant family
Tomatoes belong to the genus Lycopersicon, while potatoes belong to the genus Solanum; Both of which belongs to the same “flowering plant family” solanaceae. The similarities in leaves and flowers justifies this taxonomic grouping.
The UK - Introduction of the tomato
Reductions; Proving That Less is More
by: Michael Sheridan
Any liquid can be reduced just by heating it - but why would you want to do that?
The answer comes back to two of our old friends, flavor and consistency (texture).
By reducing any flavored liquid you intensify its flavor and at the same time thicken it. You can continue this process until what you have left is a syrup if it contains sugar, or a sauce if it does not.
This is one of the most important tools in the kitchen, believe it or not, because a great sauce can rescue an indifferent meal.
And literally ANY liquid can be reduced.
A few uses
Wine is frequently used in cooking, both as a marinade and as an addition to sauces for meat.
There are some problems with it though, one of which is that you need a really good wine and quite a lot of it to produce a reasonable sauce for, say, six people.
On the other hand, if you use pure grape juice and reduce it to a syrup, that syrup, added to any sauce (or gravy if you prefer) will lift it into the realms of ‘gourmet’.
Mrs. Butters’ Secret Key Lime Pie Recipe
by: Dr. Larry Winebrenner
“Frozen Key Lime Pie recipe?” Fern Butters asked. “Child, I’ll take that secret with me to the grave.”
Fern Butters’ frozen key lime pie was legend. Every time President Harry S Truman went through Islamorada on Upper Matecumbe Key on his way to the “Little White House” in Key West, he stopped. More specifically, he
stopped at Fern Inn for some of Fern Butters’ frozen key lime pie.
And so did other folks, commoners and dignitaries alike-Papa Hemingway, Cordell Hull, Douglas Fairbanks, Julia Child . And me.
I didn’t see any of those famous folks. Except Julia Child. And I didn’t know who she was. Ignorance of youth.
But I did eat Mrs. Butters’ frozen key lime pie.
I wasn’t a child when I asked her about the recipe. I had recipes for my grandmother’s compressed fruit cake. And my grandfather’s elderberry wine. And a passel of others I’d collected from near and far. So I thought her recipe would fit right in with my collection.
Not so. I was a young pastor at her little church in Matecumbe. But I could have been Gabriel himself.
Japanese Cuisine
by: Troy Pentico
Tempura, sukiyaki, sashimi, sushi - even the words used to describe the most basic of Japanese dishes are exotic and beautiful. Japanese cuisine is easily one of the healthiest in the world, with its concentration on fresh fish, seafood, rice and vegetables. The pungent sauces and delicate flavors of fresh foods complement each other beautifully, and the methods of presentation turn even simple meals into beautiful events.
The Japanese have easily a dozen different names for rice, depending on how it is prepared and what it is served with. The most common meal is a rice bowl, a bowl of white rice served with various toppings or ingredients mixed in. So popular is it that the Rice Bowl has even made its way into the world of Western convenience foods alongside ramen noodles. Domburi is a bowl of rice topped with another food: domburi tendon, for instance, is rice topped with tempura and domburi gyudon is rice topped with beef. The Japanese adopted fried rice from the Chinese, and a century ago, when curry was first introduced, developed Kare Raisu, curry rice. It is now such a popular dish that there are many fast-food restaurants that serve several versions of it in take-away bowls.
Pasta Recipes - Three delicious easy recipes!
by: Jonathan Teng
These pasta recipes are excellent for dinners or parties.
In this article, I’m going to share with you three delicious pasta recipes that you can prepare for any occasion that suits you. The recipes are very easy and can be prepare in less than 30 minutes.
So, here we go
Lemon Tuna Pasta
- 4 tsp Butter
- 18 Black olives, pitted & sliced
- 1 tsp Oil; olive
- 2 can Tuna; chunk, drained
- 4 large Garlic cloves, chopped
- Pasta; penne, cooked and drained
- 1/8 cup Lemon juice
- 4 tsp Butter (add at end)
- 3 tsp Capers, drained
Melt butter with oil in skillet. Add garlic and cook 2 minutes. Add lemon juice, capers and olives and cook another 2 minutes. Turn heat to lowest setting. Add tuna & separate it (do NOT flake) with a fork. Heat through, stirring gently. Drain pasta. Add remainder of butter and sauce to hot pasta, tossing well.
Tomato Soup with Pasta
Best Recipes: Luscious Lime Milkshake
by: Donna Monday
Lime sherbet adds an exciting, taste-bud tingling twist to the traditional flavored milkshake.
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 scoop lime sherbet
- 1 scoop vanilla ice cream
- handful of ice cubes
Directions
Blend all ingredients together in blender until smooth.
About The Author
© Donna Monday
Easy to make - Fun to drink
http://www.1st-milkshake-n-smoothie-recipes.com
Best Recipes: Cookies and Cream Cheesecake
by: Donna Monday
Our favorite “dunk in the milk” crème filled chocolate cookies make an encore performance in this delightfully yummy cheesecake.
Crust
2 cups (24) crushed crème-filled chocolate cookies
6 tablespoons margarine, softened
Filling
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
¼ cup cold water
1 8-oz pkg. cream cheese, softened
½ cup sugar
¾ cup milk
1 cup whipping cream, whipped
1 ¾ cups (10) coarsely chopped crème-filled chocolate cookies
Directions
Combine cookie crumbs and margarine; press onto bottom and sides of 9-inch springfoam pan.
Soften gelatin in water; stir over low heat until dissolved. Combine cream cheese and sugar, mixing at medium speed on electric mixer until well blended. Gradually add gelatin and milk, mixing until blended.
Chill until mixture is thickened but not set. Fold in whipped cream. Reserve 1 ½ cups cream cheese mixture; pour remaining cream cheese mixture over crust.
Top with cookies and reserved cream cheese mixture. Chill until firm.
About The Author
© Donna Monday
Brownies, Cheesecake, Fudge and more . . .
http://www.best-brownie-recipes.com/Cheesecake_besteasyrecipe.html
Best Recipes: Fuzzy Navel Milkshake
by: Donna Monday
While this recipe shares the same name as the famous cocktail drink, there’s no alcohol in this version, just the luscious flavors of vanilla ice cream and fresh peaches, with a splash of orange juice.
4 scoops vanilla ice cream
1 cup fresh peaches, peeled, pitted and cut
1 cup cold orange juice
2 strawberries (for garnish only)
Directions
Combine ice cream, peaches, and orange juice in mixer. Blend until smooth. Pour into glass and garnish with strawberries.
About The Author
© Donna Monday
Easy to make - Fun to drink
http://www.1st-milkshake-n-smoothie-recipes.com
Best Recipes: Apple Cinnamon Cheesecake
by: Donna Monday
Enjoy the old-fashioned goodness of apple, cinnamon, and graham crackers with the creamy vanilla flavor of cheesecake. Destined to become a family favorite.
Crust
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
3 tablespoons sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ cup margarine, melted
Filling
2 8-oz. pkgs. cream cheese, softened
½ cup sugar
2 eggs
½ teaspoon vanilla
Topping
4 cups thin peeled apple slices
1/3 cup sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ cup chopped pecans
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine crumbs, sugar, cinnamon and margarine; press onto bottom of 9-inch springform pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.
Combine cream cheese and sugar, mixing at medium speed on electric mixer until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Blend in vanilla; pour over crust.
Toss apples with combined sugar and cinnamon. Spoon apple mixture over cream cheese layer; sprinkle with pecans. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 10 minutes.
Loosen cake from rim of pan; cool before removing rim of pan. Chill.
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